Speeding

This recent report details efforts to control speeding by motorists. It comes ten years after Congress repealed the National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL), which required states to keep maximum speed limits at 65 mph in rural areas and 55 mph in urban areas. It summarizes efforts to reduce speeding-related fatalities and provides a snapshot of individual state countermeasures. Of the 50 GHSA jurisdictions that responded, 38 indicated a speed limit increase since 1994. Given the tremendous gains in safety belt use coupled with the increasingly safe design of vehicles, states should have experienced a significant decline in speeding-related fatalities. However, statistics show speeding-related fatalities have remained fairly level since NMSL was repealed, which indicate that safety benefits have been minimized by increasing speeds.

• Executive Summary >> [195 KB, 10 pgs.]
• Download the Full Report >> [627 KB, 96 pgs.]
• Survey Responses by State or Jurisdiction >>
• News Release: Speeding a Serious Problem 10 Years After National Speed Limit Repeal (June 13, 2005)

TEA-21 Programs

This report describes the accomplishments achieved by state and territory highway safety jurisdictions during 1999-2002, providing details on programs developed and implemented using the approximately $500 million in federal funds received annually. A total of 38 states and 2 territories responded to the survey. Accomplishments are outlined in areas such as Occupant Protection, Child Passenger Safety and Impaired Driving as well as improvement of data systems in the area of Traffic Records.

Executive Summary >> [112 KB, 5 pgs.]

Underage Drinking Prevention

The purpose of this survey was to find out what types of underage drinking programs and activities different state highway safety offices were undertaking. Preventions/education, enforcement, public policy, media relations and efforts for local programs to achieve self-sufficiency are all areas outlined in the report. A total of 39 states responded to the survey.

Executive Summary >> [170 KB, 7 pgs.]

Aggressive Driving

GHSA's Aggressive Driving survey was conducted to determine what the states were doing to address the problem of aggressive driving. The report outlined the various legislative, enforcement and educational programs states had put in place at the time of the survey. Information is included for the 37 states and the District of Columbia that responded to the survey.

Safety Belts

This is the first report published in the Survey of the States series. The survey questions covered issues such as the current safety belt usage rate in each state, percentage increases or decreases in belt use during the past 5-10 years, the greatest challenges to buckling up and to what extent a given state pursued goals consistent with the national Buckle Up America Campaign. GHSA members also provide a short summary on the latest safety belt programs in their respective states.

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